Micromechanical components having a drive mass that is suspended on a substrate via a drive spring such that the drive mass is able to move relative to the substrate, and a test mass that is movably suspended in relation to the drive mass are generally known. The use of such a configuration makes it possible for micromechanical components to detect yaw rates present at the micromechanical component by utilizing the Coriolis force. For this purpose, the test mass is set into a periodic motion, with the result that the yaw rate present at the micromechanical component perpendicular to the periodic movement causes a force to act on the test mass that is orthogonal to the movement direction of the periodic movement and to the applied yaw rate, and this force effect is able to be measured with the aid of capacitive electrodes. As a result, it is possible to infer the existing yaw rate.